The Police Service Commission (PSC) has given reasons for going to court to challenge the recruitment of 10,000 constables by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) into Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
Mr Musiliu Smith, Chairman, PSC, said this at a public hearing by the House of Representatives Committee on Police Affairs on the review of two bills on Thursday in Abuja.
Smith said that the action was to protect the integrity of the commission.
“I know a lot of us are not happy with what is happening, but we need to protect the commission and what has been happening. We need to go to court for the sake of the commission.
“We are there today but may not be there tomorrow, hence the need to set the record straight,” he said.
Smith said that there was need for proper funding for the commission, adding however, that PSC had been doing its best with the little resources at its disposal.
Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila, said that there was need to prioritise on recruitment, training and funding of the NPF.
Gbajabiamila said that Nigerians deserved a police they could trust and a police that will act within the limits of the law as well as respect the rule of law.
He said that PSC bill 2020 was the first attempt to institute an independent system for holding erring police officers to account for abuses of power and related misconduct in office.
“There are a lot of good policemen, in fact, a good majority of our policemen are gentlemen and officers, upstanding professionals but we all know the popular saying that a rotten egg can spoil the whole basket.
“We must attempt to weed out the few rotten eggs that seem to give the police force who lay their lives and put their lives out there on a daily for you and I and that is why we are taking this bill seriously,” he said.
Usman Bello, the committee chairman said that the House would be fair and just to all Nigerians in its quest for a better NPF.
Yusuf Gagdi (APC-Kebbi) who sponsored the bill said it was meant to correct anomalies in the PSC.
He said that the bill would address the issue of gender disparity on the appointment of IGP, adding the the NPF would be the ultimate beneficiary of the bill.
Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Dingyade, said that the proposed bills were of significance to the Ministry of Police Affairs, adding that the essence was to address the security challenges facing the country.
IGP Mohammed Adamu described the PSC as highly technical formation which must be manned by professionals.
